Until a few years ago I had never heard of Corneal Grafts. I did know that you could carry a donor card ,upon which you could state which, if any of your bodily organs, you would be prepared to donate after death. I also knew that apart from your kidneys and other body parts you could donate your corneas. That was the extent of my knowledge.

Then, seven or eight years ago, I worked for a short time in an admin role in my local eye hospital. Managing the consultant's waiting lists brought me face to face, shall we say, with Corneal Grafts. I was still unsure just what this was all about until one piece of information pulled me up short.

I was told that scheduling these operations was not always easy as we had to wait for the "material" to become available. In other words we had to wait for a would be donor to pass away and that person's corneas to be found suitable for use.

JUST WHAT IS THE CORNEA?

The cornea is the clear front window of the eye. If this ceases to work as it should you may experience poor vision, pain or irritation of the eye. Such eye surgery is not taken lightly and so the eye consultant or Ophthalmologist will assess if such a procedure is necessary and appropriate for you.

CORNEAL GRAFTS

It needs a highly skilled surgeon to perform this surgery correctly. Even then there is always the risk that your eye may reject the graft, or it may not work properly. Apparently 1 in 7 corneal grafts are rejected at some stage.

Obviously the complications can be minor or very serious. The damage caused by infections can also be serious.

MY EXPERIENCE OF CORNEAL GRAFTS

Thankfully my only experience of Corneal Grafts is second hand. My previous supervisor was told that she needed this surgery. She was also developing cataracts and was told that this would be sorted out at the same time as when the corneas were transplanted.

Her brother had already had corneal grafts, a few years earlier but his had failed. I guess the chance of success outweighed the risks for him. His eyesight was failing anyway.

When my friend had her surgery she had one eye operated on first. This is usual with eye surgery in case there are complications. This should ensure that your sight in one eye is protected and saved.

The operation can last one to two hours and the patient will be given a General Anaesthetic. Occasionally, if the patient has poor health, a local anaesthetic may be used instead.

The graft was stitched onto my freind's eye with minute, microscopic stitches. At first it seemed to have been very successful. However she did begin to have some problems.

As her graft was rejected her eye became sore and you could make out those tiny stitches quite clearly. it certainly looked uncomfortable and inflamed. Many outpatient appointments, eye drops and antibiotics later things started to settle down. However the last time I saw her she was still having some problems. There was talk that she may have to have the surgery re-done. Not a very nice thought.

SUCCESSFUL?

Please do not let this tale deter you from such surgery, if you need it. On the whole it is one of the many wonders of our age and techniques are improving all the time. Corneal grafts can offer sight to someone who may otherwise end up almost blind.

You just need to make sure that you ask plenty of questions, and research your options, before you decide to undergo such surgery. This will mean that you will be fully aware of any possible complications and problems.

BECOMING A DONOR

I know this can be a tricky subject. It is not one that I have fully come to terms with yet. However if you feel able to carry a donor card, for example, for your corneas or kidneys please do so. With all the wonder's of modern science donors are needed more than ever.

It is possible to donate multiple organs or one particular thing. Donating your corneas to be used after your death is truly wondrous in that it can bequeath the gift of sight. Sure the surgery has its problems, and may not be successful for everyone, but it is for many. What a wonderful gift to leave behind.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION-Even animals, other than human beings, are able to have Corneal Grafts these days which can restore their sight.